Jason McAteer has opened up about his tense relationship with former pal and teammate Roy Keane - revealing the pair are still "bayonets at thirty paces".

The 52-times capped Merseysider and the Republic of Ireland coach infamously clashed in a 2002 match between Sunderland and Manchester United - and McAteer revealed that things are still strained between the pair.

The ex-Ireland midfielder said: "It's an unfortunate little spell that is still probably running it's course.

"I'm still not getting a Christmas card off Roy; he's still not ringing me up.

"It all comes off the back of the 2002 World Cup, where he decided to go home - it was very disappointing."

Keane notably clashed with Republic of Ireland coach Mick McCarthy ahead of the 2002 Fifa World Cup - resulting in his own World Cup campaign being cut short.

The players went into the Premiere League season shortly after the World Cup and McAteer told of how he thinks Keane's "anger and disappointment" that the team didn't back him up spilled over into the season.

Speaking to Ray D'Arcy on his RTE Radio One show, the former Irish international hero added: "We understood where he came from, what he stood for and what he wanted - we all just felt it was at the wrong time.

"There was a time and a place for it and it was after the world cup.

"Obviously the disappointment and the anger spilled over into the premier league season."

The former Ireland midfielder has had a number of high-profile clashes with the current Republic of Ireland coach, ever since the infamous Saipan incident in 2002.